August 2010 to February 2012

The trip to California turned out to be the last decent trip I had.  Once I got back to PEI it was back to normal, the triangle and being sat around unpaid.  Well a change of situation was round the corner un- be known to me. All my complaining and getting in the face of management  regarding the condition of the 9400i I was driving must have stuck with someone because not long after I was given a Prostar.

My new Prostar in the Delaware sun picking up a load of Watermelons for Toronto.

The later part of 2010 was to bring further surprises, on 28th October I found Myself in the Holiday Inn hotel at Halifax Airport awaiting the arrival of my wife Maxine and Son Elliott.  To say I was excited would have been the understatement of the year, I can't describe the emotions I was going through.  And finally there they were, Elliott came through waving his Liverpool Flag followed by Maxine waving a WORK PERMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had booked a room for us at the hotel because our dogs were not arriving until the following day.

Here are the kids Maisie on the left and Finlay on the right. 

 And this is their mum, Buffy.

After sorting the paperwork out and the dogs being checked by the vet we were finally as a family reunited, exactly 1 year from me first leaving for Canada here we were all together in a Cargo hall at Halifax Airport ready to start our new Canadian life. The drive home was was the best journey I had made in North America by far, I gave Max and El the choice of which way home they wanted to go home, the Wood Island Ferry or The Confederation Bridge.   They both agreed - The Bridge.

November -December-January-February.  Same old, Same old!  Triangle, Goshen - Evil Twins, sitting waiting in Toronto- Unpaid!

Well after discussing the situation with Maxine the decision was made, and after a phone call and an in person meeting, it was time to go Green. Yep I was joining Midland Transport 

The reason and let this be something for anyone thinking of coming to work at Bulk Carriers whose spouse/partner does not have a work permit, unless you have a wad of money with you, you will not keep a family on the money you will earn with them.  On average you are looking to earn $2200 a month. (this has just changed as they have just increased the C.P.M to $0.40)

I got the confirmation from Midland in March and handed my 2 weeks notice in to Bulk, well I e-mailed it to Mike Schutt as it was a Saturday.  It was evident very soon it was not well received by the management at Bulk, but I did not care, I got a dispatch to the Evil Twins in Goshen then load out of the Jersey Port to Toronto then the usual 2 days wait for a load,  well enough was enough, I was leaving anyway so I sent a message to Tyson Kelly to inform him that he had 1 hour to find me a load in Toronto or I was heading home empty.  Well guess what, 45 Min's later a load offer.  I eventually got back to the yard the following Monday.  What Bulk did not know was that on the way home I stopped and cleared the truck out ( would like to thank Mr Garvey for his help with that).  I just knew they would try and stall my starting with Midland,  and I was right. Mike Schutt came out and asked me when I was going back to the USA, the look on his face when I told him I was not was priceless, I told him I was having 2 days home with my family and would be back to work on Thursday to do local work as I was finishing on the Saturday, The thick prick actually expected me to do another Triangle!  I told him" where the hell was I going to go in 3 days?" he just stormed off, so after my wife had picked me up that was the last I had to do with Bulk Carriers. 

As per my employment I returned all my fuel cards, pass key etc on the Saturday turned and walked out leaving the huge weight that I had around my neck behind.  Now don't get me wrong, I have said this before I enjoyed working for Bulk, the problem was the poor wages and a management that simply don't care about their staff so long as they are making a buck.  Its a great shame as it could be a great job.

Well as they say when one door closes another opens, so my door to Midland opened in March 2011.  After 4 days of orientation ( I use that word in its loosest term!)  I get allocated my truck to head home, 

2008 Freightliner Columbia.

Thankfully I did not have to wait long to get a new truck, this truck lived up to its nickname "freightshaker"

So on my birthday at the end of April 2011 I get a call from head office, happy birthday there's a brand new truck in Dieppe for you.

 My New Freightliner Cascadia.   Nice eh?

Well since being with Midland I have been mainly confined to the triangle which for us company drivers is the main routes we run however I have had the odd exception to the Carolina's Ohio & Minnesota. I hope the company will, in the not to distant future, open up a chase the freight division for company trucks where we go where the freight goes, not just switch with other terminals or leave it in the sole hands of the O/O's. 

Well that's brought this blogSummerside by Sir Elton John.

I need to speak to the powers that be to start getting my new agreement ready as my current one expires in March this year.  Once this is done we can then submit our PNP nomination and start the process of our PR.  Elliott has really settled into his new school here and is now starting to get a slight Canadian accent, Maxine is working quite happily as an Educational Assistant with children with special needs in the local schools, Oh and we have been adopted by a cat, which has been named........... Kit-E-Cat.